1. religion and spirituality

Spring 2015
March-May
In this issue:
An Invitation to
Journey Home.....................1-2
The Contemplative Life
Series..................................3-5
•
•
•
•
•
•
Prayer & Meditation Gatherings
Workshops, Classes, Groups
Contemplative retreats
Spiritual Direction
Community Groups
ABIDE Guided Prayer Project
The Counseling, Healing and
Recovery Series...................6-7
• Individual Resources
• Gatherings, Groups, Classes &
Workshops
The Arts, Creativity and
Spirituality Series...................8
•PATHWAYS art opening/reception
•SUSTENANCE art opening/reception
•Helen Cepero book-signing party
The Compassion, Mercy and
Justice Series.................... 9-10
• Volunteer trainng
• Kid Street School quilt project
• Come Sit Awhile
The Enneagram Series.......... 10
• Enneagram Practice Group
• Enneagram Coaching
The Healthy Living Series..... 11
• Massage
• Integrative Health
The Journey Center
1601 Fourth Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Phone: (707) 578-2121
www.journeycenter.org
W
elcome to the
Journey Center
The Journey Center is a place for transformation for everyone who is spiritually
thirsty. We are not a church or an institution but a group of people who have
found ourselves on a journey that has brought us, in a variety of ways, into encounter with the living
Christ. As we experience the Loving Presence and grace-filled movement of the Spirit in our lives,
we are being set free to become who we were created to be. It is our privilege to offer a space in
which everyone is welcome to share their story, find supportive encouragement, and encounter the
Holy in a way that will strengthen and nourish them on their journey, whatever their spiritual path
might be. Because we serve such a spiritually diverse community of folks, the resources we offer
are designed so that there is something for everyone.
Article by Joanna Quintrell,
Executive Director
AN INVITATION TO
JOURNEY HOME
Do you remember a time when you took a
journey away from home? Maybe you traveled
to visit family for the holidays. Perhaps it
was a vacation in a new and beautiful place
somewhere in the world. Then there are those
sad trips which are made because someone we
love is no longer with us and we gather to honor
their memory.
All of these experiences come to an end and
we set our sights towards where we have come
from. We begin the journey home.
I love to travel, whether it is a drive out to the
coast here in Northern California or a long journey to visit a place I have
never seen. On those special trips that have taken me far away, there
always comes that day when the traveling is almost over and I turn towards
home.
As I sit on the plane (for so many hours!) I notice that there is a longing in
my heart, a deep longing for HOME. The excitement of the adventure has
gone now and everything in me just wants to walk through my front door,
put down my luggage and be in that place that is so familiar, welcoming and
comfortable.
Article continued on page 2 >
1
< Article continued from page 1
Dictionaries give a practical definition of HOME…usually something like “the
place where one resides”, but that description doesn’t quite capture the essence
of HOME, does it? The beautiful words in this poem, written by Du Fu (712770; a prominent Chinese poet of the Tang dynasty) and translated by W.J.B.
Fletcher, remind us that a longing for home (even if we are in a wonderful place)
has always been part of the human experience:
Amid the jade-green willow trees two golden orioles sing.
Across the clear blue sky a flight of soaring egrets wing.
The sighs of chilly Autumn, that breathe eternal snow
From Ormei’s lofty mountain, about the casement flow.
Ah! Would that they could take me back the thousand miles and more
From hence to home- those goodly ships that anchor at my door.
We take journeys away from our physical home and long to return; this is a
metaphor for what happens on our spiritual journey, too. There is a place within
us where we are HOME. It is a place where we can relax completely and be
ourselves, for we are known and welcomed and loved by the One who created
us. This Home is where we can come as we are and step out of the world’s emphasis on performance and perfection,
for we are accepted with understanding and compassion and there is no demand that we be someone else.
Many of us find it difficult to live in and from our heart’s true Home. For a variety of reasons, we travel away
from rather than towards this place of love and grace and peace. It is part of the human experience, isn’t it? The
essence of the spiritual journey is to become aware of and responsive to this longing for Home. Here is a beautiful
image from the Old Testament that captures this:
Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young –
a place near your altar, LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
Psalms 84:3
Several years ago, on the island of Iona in Scotland, I was in the Abbey there and I saw this very sight! Two birds
were inside the sanctuary and had made their nest near the altar. I remember being deeply touched by this as I
became aware of my own deep longing… to dwell more constantly in the presence and love of the Holy One.
This spring, we are beginning a new tradition that is designed to offer you the opportunity to Journey Home. It is a
special kind of retreat week, one in which you don’t have to spend any money or take time off work or travel to a
retreat center. Rather, in the midst of your normal life, there will be daily opportunities for you to choose to step out
of your busy life and step into a space that supports your movement towards your heart’s true Home. We will offer
quiet prayer/meditation groups, workshops, a healing service and a Saturday retreat day for you to choose from.
In addition, our wonderful spiritual directors will offer free introductory spiritual direction sessions.
Journey Home Week will take place from Sunday, April 19 to Saturday, April 25. All the details can be found on the
insert in this newsletter or on our website at www.journeycenter.org/hapRetreats.php. We would so love to share
this experience with you!
HOME…is where the heart is! May you be blessed as you make the journey home to your own true heart and to a
deeper awareness of the presence and love of God with you.
JOURNEY CENTER MARIN is being birthed!
Three graduates from our training program in spiritual direction have been inspired to explore
bringing a Journey Center presence to Marin County in the near future. Thank you for praying for
Donene Blair, Pamela Carraher and Jan Stanish as they discern how this will unfold. If you live in
that area and would like to be on their email list to receive announcements about groups, workshops,
retreats and other gatherings that will be offered, contact Donene at enenod@hotmail.com.
The Journey Center will be closed Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day)
2
The Contemplative Life Series
The contemplative journey is one of ever-deepening intimacy with God, self and
neighbor. These resources offer a variety of Christ-centered contemplative practices
and teachings that support the God-centered, prayer-filled life. It is our hope and
prayer that the resources we offer will support people in all spiritual and religious
traditions who are being called to the contemplative path.
Prayer and Meditation Gatherings
These contemplative gatherings are designed to offer you space and time for prayer and meditation. “Beginners” and
those on all spiritual paths are welcome. Registration is not required. Please drop by as your schedule allows. Groups
meet at the Journey Center and are free of charge, unless indicated otherwise. *Sometimes gatherings are cancelled
due to holidays or vacations. Please check our calendar for any cancellations before coming to a gathering.
Centering Prayer Groups
Mondays, Noon–12:45 p.m.
Thursdays, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
A time of prayer and contemplation in which we practice
a Christ-centered form of meditation. Beginners and
people on all silent meditation paths are welcome.
Come and join us for one or both sessions. Both
beginners and experienced practitioners will find it
supportive and deepening.
Facilitators: Mondays facilitated by Barbara Tracy. Thursdays
facilitated by Dick Meyer, Spiritual Director. Cost: Free.
Location: Prayer Chapel.
Weekly Contemplative Prayer/Meditation
Group in Sebastopol…Centering Prayer
and the Prayer of the Imagination
Wednesdays, Noon–12:45 p.m.
You are invited to come and encounter Christ in silence,
in contemplation and in the imagination, as we practice
Christ-centered forms of meditation. Beginners and
people on all meditation paths welcome. Centering
Prayer uses silence as a doorway to enter God’s
presence. The Prayer of the Imagination offers guided
prayer/meditation to encounter the Holy though the
heart, senses and emotions as we use the imagination
to enter the gospel scenes. Both forms of prayer invite
us into a direct experience of God/Christ/the Sacred.
Facilitators: Linda Albert and Laurie Hartmann, Spiritual
Directors. Location: Sebastopol United Methodist Church-in
the sanctuary (across from Safeway), in partnership with the
Journey Center. Cost: Free.
A Quiet Place
Wednesdays, Noon–1:00 p.m.
Our lives can be so busy and
noisy! Right in the middle of
the week, we offer a safe and
peaceful space for those who
want to slow down, catch their breath and reconnect
with their own heart and the heart of God in a quiet
and contemplative setting. “A Quiet Place” is a special
weekly gathering offering music, prayer and meditation.
The doors open at noon for silent prayer and meditation
until 12:15 p.m., followed by a time of guided reflection
from 12:15-12:35 p.m. then continued quiet prayer until
1 p.m. Healing prayer is available for those who desire it
for themselves or loved ones. Arrive and depart as your
schedule allows.
Facilitator: Robin Terwilliger-Orton, Spiritual Director.
Cost: Free. Location: Main Room.
Imaginative Prayer:
Encountering Christ in the Gospels
Tuesdays, 12:30–1:30 p.m.
You are invited to come and encounter Christ in the
gospel stories of His life using the gift of your God-given
imagination. This weekly gathering offers a guided
prayer/meditation time in which the events of the life of
Christ become present and personal, allowing us a direct
experience of the love of God. This kind of imaginative
prayer seeks the truth of the heart; it engages the senses
and emotions as we enter the Gospel scenes.
Facilitator: Linda Albert, Spiritual Director. Cost: Free.
Location: Prayer Chapel.
A great place to host your event!
Are you planning a special gathering or celebration or looking for a lovely
space for a workshop or meeting? The Journey Center’s beautiful facility
is available to groups for rent. It is a wonderful space for meetings,
celebration parties, retreats and other events…and we do have a kitchen!
For details, contact us at 707-578-2121.
3
D
Contemplative Workshops/Classes/Groups
Our contemplative workshops, classes and groups cover various topics related to contemplative
spirituality. They are held at the Journey Center unless otherwise noted. Pre-registration is required.
Register on our website or by calling the Journey Center at 707-578-2121. Costs are listed.
Contemplative Book
Group–Falling Upward:
A Spirituality for the Two
Halves of Life by Richard Rohr
Six Sunday evenings–March 1 & 22, April 12 & 26,
May 3 & 17, 6:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Do you need some accountability to read an entire
book? Do you enjoy discussing interesting portions or
difficult passages? Would you like to read about the
second half of life from the wise contemplative and
Franciscan priest Richard Rohr?
The book cover reads, “Drawing on the wisdom from
time-honored myths, heroic poems, great thinkers,
and sacred religious texts, the author explores the two
halves of life to show that those who have fallen, failed,
or ‘gone down’ are the only ones who understand ‘up.’
We grow spiritually more by doing it wrong than by
doing it right.”
Facilitator: Julie Miller, Spiritual Director. Cost: No charge for
the group sessions. Julie asks that you consider making a
donation to the Journey Center. Please purchase a copy of
the book and register online at www.journeycenter.org or call
the Journey Center at 707-578-2121.
Contemplative Retreats
An extended time in quiet and reflection helps to restore the soul. Join us for a time of connecting more
deeply with the Holy One and our own true hearts. Pre-registration is required. Register on our website
or by calling the Journey Center at 707-578-2121. Costs and locations are listed.
ENCOUNTERING GOD IN SILENCE AND
SOLITUDE: The Art of Personal
Retreat-Taking
Saturday, April 11, 9:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
In this workshop, we explore two related spiritual practices
that have been experienced by people of faith throughout
the centuries and that have sadly been lost and almost
forgotten amidst the noise and busyness of life…the
practices of silence and solitude or “retreat-taking.”
This workshop is an introduction to personal retreattaking and includes a “mini-retreat” time of silence and
solitude so participants can get a taste of the blessing
and benefits these practices could hold for their life and
spiritual journey.
Beginning with a contemplative
healing prayer gathering on
Sunday evening, April 19,
a series of workshops and
prayer/meditation groups will
be offered during the week,
through Saturday, April 25. You
are invited to choose the experiences and resources
that will best support you on your journey home to your
own true heart and the heart of God.
Facilitator: Joanna Quintrell, spiritual director. Cost: $20.
In addition, half-hour introductory spiritual direction
sessions are available throughout the week (by
appointment) with our spiritual directors…giving you the
opportunity to experience this special gift and discover
how this resource can be a blessing to your journey as
well.
NEW! JOURNEY HOME WEEK:
Our gift to the community!
Journey Home Week is designed to be a blessing to
everyone-those who are new to contemplative prayer
and spiritual direction, and those who are familiar.
Twice a year, the Journey Center will set aside a
special week in which you are invited to join us for an
“at home” contemplative retreat experience. In the midst
of your week, you will have the opportunity to step out
of the busyness and into a deeper awareness of the
presence of the Holy.
See the insert in this newsletter for all the details. You
can register on our website, by phone, or here at the
Journey Center. May you be blessed as you choose
to set aside some time to “Journey Home!” There is
no charge for anything offered during Journey Home
Week…we simply ask that you consider making a
donation of any amount to the Journey Center, as you
are able.
Sunday, April 19–Saturday, April 25
Follow the Journey Center on Facebook & Twitter! See our website for links!
4
Spiritual Direction
Meeting with a Spiritual Director is the discovery of a gift…a spiritual companion and gifted listener who
gives you a safe place to explore your experience of the Holy. Call the Journey Center to set up an
appointment with one of our Spiritual Directors or attend our free workshop to learn more.
Individual Spiritual Direction
We were meant to live life with an awareness of God’s
presence and love, yet so often we are too busy and
distracted to notice! In spiritual direction, we set aside
time to meet with someone who will prayerfully listen
as we reflect on our relationship with our Creator,
and who can help us discern and experience God’s
presence and the Spirit’s movement in more of a
moment-by-moment way. At the Journey Center, our
Spiritual Directors are available to meet with individuals
seeking direction, usually once a month, for a fee that
is determined on a sliding scale basis.
If you are interested in exploring the possibility of
experiencing spiritual direction, please call us at 707578-2121. One of our Spiritual Directors will be glad to
meet with you for one session at no charge to explore
this with you. You can learn about our team of Spiritual
Directors on our website at www.journeycenter.org/
hapSpiritDirection.php.
Note: Free Spiritual Direction
(with an Intern in Training) Will
Be Available Soon!!!
The men and women currently in
our training program for spiritual
directors will each be looking
for two people to work with beginning in May/June
2015. If you are interested in the opportunity to have
9 free sessions of spiritual direction (one session per
month), please contact Joanna Quintrell at joanna@
journeycenter.org or 707-578-2121. She will talk with
you about this resource and help you discern if this
is a gift that the Spirit is inviting you to receive at this
season in your journey, and if you are able to make the
basic commitment required.
NOTE: our interns come from near and far, and
sessions may be available in these California cities/
areas-Sonoma County, the East Bay, Marin County,
Davis, Modesto, Claremont and in Reno, NV.
Community Groups
Our community groups give you a chance to connect with others and share in each others’ spiritual journeys.
Community groups meet at the Journey Center and all are welcome.
Group Spiritual Direction
for Professional
Caregivers, Clergy or
Chaplains
Do you have a profession where
you counsel, care for or serve others in crisis, trauma
The ABIDE project:
“Guided Prayer Moments”
Our director, Joanna Quintrell, has
been invited to write and record
simple contemplative prayer
experiences for a phone app
being developed by a group called
Carpenters Code.
or under stress? Are you feeling the need to have a
safe and sacred space to process or talk through what
wells up in you when your vocation is in serving others?
There is interest in forming a spiritual direction group
with this focus. Interested? Call the Journey Center and
leave your contact information and we’ll see if we have
a quorum of 6-8 people to get this group going.
Topics cover spiritual growth, relationships, healing,
blessings and more.
”Guided Prayer Moments” is now available on the App
Store on iTunes; to download the app go to:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/abide id726031617?mt=8
Their mission is to create technology that helps people
draw closer to God and they currently offer an app that
connects people who know each other so they can be
praying for each other.
This new app that Joanna is working on (version
1.3.0 of ABIDE) is called “Guided Prayer Moments”
and features biblical reflections created by national
ministries and local pastors to enrich your prayer life.
5
The Counseling, Healing and Recovery Series
The Counseling, Healing and Recovery Series offers individual, couple
and group resources for those who are seeking guidance, healing and
wholeness in their lives.
Individual Resources
Meet one-on-one with our trained counseling and healing practitioners. Call them to set up an appointment
and discuss their services, including costs.
HEARTFREE
Counseling/Healing Prayer
Healthy living includes emotional
and spiritual and physical health.
Sometimes, issues of life can wound
the heart deeply. HeartFree, a Christcentered counseling and healing
prayer practice, assists with life’s pain, past and
present. Using a variety of approaches to identify
issues, HeartFree helps individuals and couples
identify and resolve emotional and spiritual issues in
their own lives and relationships.
Alexandra Montoya, MA, MHC, is a Spiritual Director with
the Journey Center, and a former director in Public Health/
Mental Health/Alcohol&Drug agencies. Contact her at
707-575-9075 or alexandra.lady44@gmail.com for more
information or to schedule an appointment.
The Attorney is In:
A resource to help with your
discernment if you have a
legal question or find yourself
in a legal situation
Appointments are available March 23
and April 27 in half–hour increments at 5:00, 5:45
and 6:30 p.m.
Meet with our favorite attorney, Roy Johnston, at the
Journey Center for a no-cost 30-minute consultation.
Roy is a specialist in estate planning, probate, trust
administration, mortgages, real estate and business,
and is conversant in other areas of law, such as family
law and bankruptcy, and can give referrals to attorneys
who specialize in these other areas of law.
Roy loves the Journey Center and so is not charging for
these consultations…he only asks that you consider making
a donation of any amount to support the Center’s mission.
For ppointments, contact the Journey Center at 707-578-2121.
Counseling
For over 38
years, Dan
Beach, Marriage
and Family
Therapist and
Journey Center Spiritual Director,
has been offering counseling services to individuals,
couples, families, children and adolescents in a variety
of settings. His experience, sensitivity, wisdom and
spiritual perspective make him a trustworthy person
to seek out if you are facing challenges and need
resources beyond yourself.
Dan is a licensed marriage and family therapist who has
been working with people facing difficulties in their life since
1976 and was on the pastoral staff of a church for nine years.
He loves getting to know people and practices patient and
insightful listening to foster your desire to grow in spirituality.
If you would like to talk with Dan about what counseling could
offer you, he can be reached at 707-291-5845.
Inspired Conversations for
Change with Cynthia H.
Stringer, Master Coach
Available by appointment.
Meet with Master Coach, Cynthia H.
Stringer, PCC, M.Div to Connect and
Co-Create your next most expanded career and life
steps. Have a cup of tea and explore specific strategies
to create more ease and momentum in your journey
towards allowing your goals to unfold easily. These
introductory first-come first served appointments are
customized for you.
Facilitator: Cynthia H. Stringer, has over 25 years experience
as a spiritual, life and career coach and provides classes and
consultations at the Journey Center. Contact her at
415-763-7309 or cynthia@successbydesign.net for more
information or to discuss an appointment.
Register for Workshops, Classes, Groups and Retreats on our website:
www.journeycenter.org or call the Journey Center at 707-578-2121
6
Counseling/Healing/Recovery Gatherings, Groups, Classes & Workshops
All these events are held at the Journey Center. Costs are listed below. Please register for the workshops
by calling the Journey Center or at our website. Drop in as your schedule allows at our gatherings.
Contemplative Book
Study Group:
A Grace Revealed
How God Redeems the Story of Your Life,
by Jerry Sittser
Tuesdays, March 10 & 17, April 7 & 21, May 5 & 19,
and June 2, 6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Twenty years ago, Jerry Sittser lost his daughter, wife,
and mother in a car accident. He chronicled that tragic
experience in “A Grace Disguised-How the Soul Grows
Through Loss”, a book that has become a classic on
the topic of grief and loss. Now he asks: how do we
live meaningfully, even fruitfully, in this world and at the
same time long for heaven? How do we respond to the
paradox of being a new creation in Christ even though
we don’t always feel or act like one? How can we trust
God is involved in our story when our circumstances
seem to say He isn’t?
“A Grace Revealed” brings the story of Sittser’s family
full circle, revealing God’s redeeming work in the midst
of circumstances that could easily have destroyed
them. By sharing his own story and those of others,
Sittser reminds us that our lives tell a good story after
all and will help us excavate the details of our own
stories so that we can begin to understand how God is
working to tell a good story through our lives too.
We will cover two chapters per session with time for
silence, discussion and journaling. Please purchase
the book before our first meeting at a local bookstore or
online.
Facilitator: Robin Terwilliger-Orton, spiritual director. Cost: $10
per session, or a discount of $15 if you pay $55 for the series
before study begins or at our first session.
SYNCHRONICITY: Call From The Divine
with guest teacher, Robin Gates
Saturday, May 2, 10:00 a.m.–noon
There are times when we all have experienced
clusters of significant events occurring together that
are expressions of both physical as well as mental
dimensions. For example, you dream of someone
and it coincides with their actual death or you think
of a person you haven’t seen in a while, and they
call you. Synchronicity, from the Greek, syn + chron,
means “happening at the same time.” It is defined
as “an acausal connecting principle.” It is not mere
coincidence, but the meaningful convergence of inner
and outer experiences; psyche and matter. These
occurrences can be seen as the Divine, the eternal,
or the archetypal, making an appearance in the
momentary present.
Synchronicity experiences can be deeply mystical,
spiritual, thrilling or funny. If integrated, they can help
expand consciousness as they guide us to a deeper
understanding and experience of our underlying
Wholeness. In this workshop, we will explore the
phenomenon of synchronicity and learn how to identify
synchronistic occurrences, interpret them for guidance,
and access their spiritual and playful dimensions.
Facilitator: Robin Gates is an educator, retreat facilitator, and
writer. One of her interests is exploring the dialogue between
the Christian contemplative tradition and depth psychology.
She is on the faculty of Santa Rosa Junior College, where she
teaches psychology and meditation. Cost: $15.
Aligning Yourself To Your Truth
with Master Coach Cynthia H. Stringer
Saturday, May 30, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
You are a blessing and your life’s activities, daily
expression and goals are an extension of that. Explore
together in this evening presentation how to synergize
and align who you are with what you do. Be present
in the moment to reflect, journal and allow the Spirit to
bring you inner clarity on living fully and abundantly. Let
go of the need to “do.”
This interactive, expressive and nourishing class will
provide content, coaching and connection and time
for reflection and relaxing. The power and elegance of
integrity-based decisions and goals will be explored.
Gain insights into what hinders and stops you, uncover
your personal strengths and share them, get out of
overwhelm and uncertainty into action. Learn more how
to hear and take action from your intuition and inner
strength. Be amazed and inspired! You will receive
handouts and one 30-minute follow up coaching
consultation.
Facilitator: Cynthia H. Stringer, master coach. Cost: $20.
Facilitator: Cynthia H. Stringer, master coach. Cost: $30.
Be Blessed By Your Life
with Master Coach Cynthia H. Stringer
Friday, March 20, 7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.
Occasionally classes/events/workshops have to be cancelled or rescheduled
Please check our website for the latest information
7
The Arts, Creativity & Spirituality Series
Here at the Journey Center we believe that the arts and creativity have an
important role in spirituality, so we are pleased to have an art gallery in our
Center featuring the beautiful work of local and Bay Area artists. We also offer
a variety of classes, workshops and events that allow you to explore your Godgiven creative gifts as a spiritual practice on your journey.
Art Gallery
We invite you to stop by our gallery whenever the Journey Center is open (M-F, 10-4).
Call for evening and weekend hours, which vary. Admission is free.
PATHWAYS opening reception,
featuring local artist, Paula Smith
SUSTENANCE opening reception,
featuring local artist, Michele Bottaro
Friday, March 13, 5:00–7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 8, 5:00–7:00 p.m.
Meet the artist; appetizers and beverages will be
served. Free admission. The show runs though April.
Meet the artist; appetizers and beverages will be
served. Free admission. The show runs through June.
I paint landscapes to create inner happiness and self
contentment. I respond to the beauty around me,
excited by colors, filled with their sensuality like eating
a hot fudge sundae. The process is meditative. I meld
with the landscape, experiencing the softness of a
field of grass, the warmth of the sun, otherworldliness
of a veil of valley fog, the motion of the air and water.
The energy flows into me and I am but a medium
transducing the flow onto canvas. Visit the artist’s
webiste at: www.PaulaSmithArt.com.
Michele Bottaro, a longtime Sonoma County artist,
has a passion for color, finds joy in mixing paint and
experimenting with processes. Mixed media is an
ideal mode as it allows her to work new ideas into her
compositions. She is interested in surface textures
and is fascinated with contemporary mediums and
materials, while also inclined towards rhythmic
pattern. Visit the artist’s website at:
http://michelebottaro.fineartstudioonline.com.
Literary Arts
The power and beauty of the written word is a gift that blesses, encourages and inspires us. Our literary arts
events give us the opportunity to encourage local authors and poets and to explore our own creativity with
words, whether we are experienced writers or just starting out. See specific events for cost and registration
requirements.
Book Signing/Celebration
Party for Helen Cepero!
Sunday, March 15,
7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
We invite you join us for this free event, celebrating
Helen Cepero and the release of her second book,
“Christ–Shaped Character: Choosing Love, Faith and
Hope.” Helen is a spiritual director, teacher, author
and retreat leader living in Anchorage, AK. She is the
co–director of the Journey Center’s training program in
8
spiritual direction and regularly offers workshops and
retreats for us. She will share with us her experiences
writing this very special book, published by InterVarsity
Press, and copies of the book will be available for
purchase and signing during this special evening of
celebration!
Helen’s first book was Journaling as a Spiritual
Practice: Encountering God through Attentive Writing,
published by InterVarsity Press in 2008.
Free admission. Beverages and dessert will be served.
The Compassion, Mercy & Justice Series
At the Journey Center, we believe that the love we experience and are
nourished by is meant to be shared. Part of our vision is to invite others
to join us in the community as we show compassion and work for justice
wherever the Spirit leads us.
Christ said, “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger
and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to
visit me.” In response to those who didn’t understand and asked “When did we do these things for you?” He said, “I tell you the
truth, whatever you did for one of these, you did for me.” (the book of Matthew, 25:34-40)
In-Service Training for Work with Clients in
our Most Vulnerable Local Populations-Living Bridges: Bringing people together
for transformative community service
Saturday, March 21, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
We have many vulnerable neighbors in Sonoma
County—adults, teens and children in homeless
shelters; those in foster group homes, special schools
and care sites for hurt children; clients of disability
service centers, rehab and county services, daytime
drop-in centers, and board and care homes for adults
living with mental health issues; at-risk, gang-affected,
quarter-life, and immigrant youth; our fragile elderly, and
individuals in our juvenile hall and jail, among others.
Many of us involved in ongoing support with people
in these populations experience both the profound
satisfactions and the sometimes enormous frustrations
of this work in terms of poor participation by clients,
including the over 50% drop-out rate most service
centers experience. This training can help make client
interactions more workable, leading to increased
efficacy for both consumers and providers of vital
services. In this training, we’ll learn about:
•
Clear definition of terms, starting with the descriptor
“vulnerable” for at-risk populations.
•
Break-out exercises that give the felt experience, in
a safe way, of the most difficult internal challenges
faced every day by our most vulnerable clients.
•
Our core beliefs about the most vulnerable and
the way in which our own human vulnerability is
actually our best asset as trusted providers.
•
Core principles and ways of relating that
support the dignity, improved functioning, and
empowerment of our most vulnerable clients.
•
A toolkit of basic skills that allow the most effective
work with compromised children and adults—tools
that increase our client’s ability to participate.
•
The healthiest orientation to community work: one
that respects our own needs and limitations, and
protects the dignity of those we come alongside.
•
Issues of cultural diversity, sensitivity and respect for
all in our shared community.
Facilitator: Kalia Mussetter is the founder of Living Bridges, a
local consultancy. She has a BA in Communication Studies, and
is an artist and writer with 20 years’ experience in service work
with local vulnerable populations. An alumna of the vulnerable
world, she has “sat on both sides of the helping desk.” This
unique training can help with difficult issues of client dropout
and recidivism that most agencies deal with. Ms. Mussetter
does creative projects, program development, fund-raising,
training, and deep-networking for many local non-profits, both
secular and faith-based. She has worked as a Peer Advocate in
legal and medical settings for more than twelve years, and has
experience with service in dual diagnosis, child abuse, addiction
recovery and mental health issues. Cost: $40 per person.
Kid Street School
3rd and 4th Graders Quilt Project
Five consecutive Thursdays
March 12, 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. at the Journey Center
March 19 & 26; April 2 & 9, 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. at
Kid Street School
Help at-risk children at Kid Street create a beautiful
quilted pillow for themselves!
Join our Kid Street children’s quilting project even if you
have never sewn a stitch in your life! Participants will learn
the basic principles of quilting this project, how to teach
the process to children, and how to volunteer in positive,
helpful ways with kids who face extra challenges in life.
The Kid Street School is a non-profit public charter
school serving some of our most vulnerable grade school
children in Sonoma County. Together we will teach
the kids how to design and sew an individual quilted
pillow—a personal treasure to use in the classroom then
have at home.
Facilitator: Kalia Mussetter, local quilt artist, has taught quilting
and other arts at Kid Street School since 2003 and will provide
instruction in how to best work with our kids in this safe,
supportive, fun (and often funny!) process. Cost: $50. All fabrics,
threads and batting supplied. Details of what to bring will be
provided upon registration; no additional supply purchases
necessary to participate.
The Compassion, Mercy & Justice Series continued on page 10 >
9
< The Compassion, Mercy & Justice Series continued from page 9
Convalescent Home
Visitation
If you are drawn to
reach out to the elderly,
please consider joining
Rosemarie at a local
convalescent home. She’s discovered that at least 20
residents there NEVER get even one visitor. All you
need is 30 minutes a week.
It requires no special talents, just a willingness to be
present with a precious elder and “sit a while”.
Please contact Rosemarie at 707–544–3311 and she
will be glad to help you get started in being a blessing.
The Enneagram Series
We have a growing community of people who have discovered that the
Enneagram is truly a tool for transformation in their lives. The exploration
of the nine distinct styles of personality provides us with resources for selfunderstanding, compassion for others and healthy relationships.
For Those Familiar with the Enneagram
The following resources are for those who know their Enneagram scores for all nine styles. *Pre–
registration is required. Please register with our online registration form or by calling the Journey Center
at 707–578–2121. Costs are listed. All events are held at the Journey Center, unless noted otherwise.
Enneagram Practice
Group: Transforming
Everything that Matters
Through the Enneagram
Information Night: Wednesday, March 4, 7:00 p.m.
Group sessions: Wednesdays,
March 11–July 8, 7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. (18 classes)
Group closes after third meeting
We will form a practice group to put the Enneagram
into practice in our lives. Using a workbook, each week
we will read, practice and share our experiences with
each other, using a contemplative spiritual approach.
Do you want deeper intimacy with yourself and with
others? We will form a practice group to bring together
the practical and the profound by developing an active
practice of presence. We will learn to refocus our
attention and build our capacity for living with more joy,
aliveness, and fulfillment.
The malaise of our time is shallow-mindedness,
superficiality and abbreviated awareness–perhaps
you are ready for the compelling antidote of profound
transformational inner-directed therapy, or perhaps we
could call this ‘soul work.’
Do you feel a call to authenticity? to interior freedom?
to more genuine relationships with God, Self and
Others? Consider joining us so that we might practice
together and experience 2015 very differently from past
years.
10
Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of the Enneagram;
completion of WEPSS or RHETI or another means of
assessing your scores in the nine types.
Facilitator: Alexandra Montoya, MA, MHC, is a spiritual
director, therapist and former director of mental health/
alcohol & drug agencies. She directs the Journey Center’s
Enneagram series. Contact her at 707-575-9075 or
alexandra.lady44@gmail.com with questions regarding this
group. Cost: $275 for the entire series; payments can be
arranged.
en*theos
Enneagram coaching with Alexandra
Individual or group appointments available
Private coaching using the tool of the Enneagram as a
foundation. Alexandra approaches the Enneagram from
a spiritual perspective, and uses an Essence-based
approach while focusing on your direct experience as
a pathway to change and growth. Radically honest,
deeply compassionate and powerfully present, she
will guide you towards sustainable results. It is her joy
to journey with you towards a more expansive, truer,
freer way of being, living life with more awareness,
flexibility, effectiveness and joy.
Facilitator: Alexandra Montoya, MA, MHC is a mental health
counselor, a spiritual director with the Journey Center, and
a former director in mental health/alcohol/drug agencies. It
is her joy to combine spirituality with psychology, resulting
in her calling her practice en*theos = two Greek words
meaning God within, in God, enthuse, enthusiasm, freedom.
Contact her at alexandra.lady44@gmail.com or 707-575-9075.
The Healthy Living Series
The Journey Center is pleased to offer resources that promote health and healing
for our bodies as well as our spirits. This series encourages us to take care of our
physical bodies and health, truly a gift to treasure.
Practitioners
We are delighted to have an experienced massage therapist and a gifted integrative health consultant working with us! To make an
appointment with one of our healthy living practitioners or for more information, please call the Journey Center at 707-578-2121. The cost
for the sessions will be arranged when an appointment is made.
Chayo Alvarez,Massage Therapist
It is with great joy and peace in her heart that Chayo Alvarez comes to the Journey
Center to offer the gift of therapeutic massage to both men and women. Chayo
received her certification from the California Institute of Massage in 1995 and
incorporates various massage techniques: Swedish, Deep Tissue, Hot Stone,
Trigger Point, Acupressure, Reflexology, Healing Touch, Prenatal/Pregnancy and
Spa Services. She specializes in deep tissue and neck and shoulder massage.
Chiara Maria Kae, Integrative Health Consultant!
Chiara Maria Kae, Ph.D., M.S., is an integrative health consultant specializing in nutrition, yoga
and Ayurveda. Chiara has been a professional in the health field for over twenty years. She
draws on her Ph.D. in health communication to uniquely empower clients to speak in new ways
about and transform their relationship to food and their bodies. Chiara earned her Ph.D. in
the fields of Health Communication and Women’s Studies at the University of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign. Her passion for the healing arts stems from her certification in Ayurveda under
Dr. Vasant Lad, an M.S. degree in holistic nutrition from Clayton College of Natural Health,
and advanced herbology studies at Evergreen Garden Integrative School of Herbology. Her
related professional background includes twelve years as a university professor and three
years as a staff member at a Bay area outpatient eating disorders clinic. Chiara offers educational and motivational
private consultations, public seminars and retreats that integrate western and eastern health systems, specializing in
Integrative and Functional medicine. She is currently based in the Napa Valley and holds office hours by appointment
at the Journey Center.
Partner With the Journey Center
The Journey Center is a not-for-profit organization, relying on the
donations of our financial sponsors to continue offering spiritual
resources to our community. This can take the form of a one time gift,
monthly donation amount or providing specific resources from our wish
list. (See our website for our current wish list and our “You Make
it Possible” document…a wonderful capturing of our vision and ways
that resource sponsors can help fund what they are passionate about!)
If you would like to make a gift to the Journey Center, you can do so
in person, via mail, or using our online credit card donation form at our
website. (The Journey Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and
all donations are tax-deductible.)
11
Stop By and Visit the Journey Center!
In addition to all the workshops, classes, groups and other
gatherings that we offer at the Journey Center, we are also
open throughout the week and would love for you to stop by
and visit. Here is what you will experience when you step
through our doors:
The Journey Center is a safe, peaceful and beautiful place
where people can come in, enjoy a free cup of organic coffee
or tea, and find a comfortable place to sit and read a book
or have a quiet conversation. During the hours that we are
open, there will always be someone here to greet you. Enjoy
browsing through the books and magazines in our lending
library. If you need space to be quiet, that is the gift we offer.
And any time we are open, you can feel free to let us know if
we can have the privilege of praying for you about whatever
is on your heart, or listening with love if there is something
that you’d like to talk about.
Our lending library is stocked with books and periodicals
related to the spiritual journey, and you are welcome to check
out and take home any that would be a blessing to you, at no
charge.
We are pleased that our beautiful space allows us to have an
art gallery with original works of art by gifted local artists,
capturing the beauty of creation in its many facets.
The Journey Center is for you. Everyone on any spiritual
path (or still trying to find one!) is invited to visit us. You
will be welcomed and encouraged on your journey!
The Journey Center is usually open weekdays, from
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Occasionally things change, so it is
best to call ahead (707-578-2121) to confirm the hours for a
particular day.
The Journey Center - 1601 Fourth Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
www.journeycenter.org
12